"What's for Dinner?!" I'm always thinking about it, thought I'd share.

"What's for Dinner?!" I'm always thinking about it, thought I'd share.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Weekly Menu Feb. 5th - Feb. 11th

Saturday
Oven Roasted Chicken with Herbs
Medley of Roasted Vegetables tossed in a Balsamic glaze
Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary and Sea Salt
Super Bowl Sunday 
Steak & Cheese Primanti Bros. Sandwich (Steelers)
Beer Brats (Packers)
Hot Wings with Blue Cheese dressing
Fresh Vegetable platter, aged Wisconsin Cheddar and Apples
Monday
Tex-Mex Carnitas Salad
Tortilla Chips and Salsa
Tuesday
Pan Seared Shrimp with Pasta, Garlic and Parmesan
Romaine Wedge Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Wednesday
Classic Beef Stew
French Baguette
Thursday
Falafil with Hummus in Pita
Tabbouleh Salad with Quinoa
Friday
Chef's night off - Dinner out (TBD)

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Seared Salmon with a Red Pepper, Citrus-Ginger Glaze

Glaze
1/2 med. Onion, fine diced
3 gloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Red Pepper, small dice
1" piece of Ginger, minced
Juice of 1 Orange
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 Tsp. Red Pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tsp. fresh Thyme
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 side of Salmon, skinned and deboned
Olive oil

Preheat Oven to 400°F.
In a small sauce pan heat olive oil to shimmering over med-high heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Add peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes, add ginger and garlic, cook for 2 minutes.  Add orange juice, pepper flakes, honey, vinegar, and brown sugar.  Increase heat and reduce liquid until mixture thickens (7-8 minutes).  Add butter, remove from heat and add thyme, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 


Season salmon with salt and pepper.  Heat a large saute pan over high heat, add some olive oil and heat until just smoking.   Sear fish, flesh side first, until golden brown, turn to skin side and top with glaze.  Put into oven to finish.  Cook fish to medium rare (6-7 minutes).
Serve and enjoy.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Double Smoked Bacon and Onion Cornbread

8 oz. Double Smoked Bacon (Boars Head has a good one)
1 small Sweet Onion, small diced
1/2 C. frozen Corn kernels
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Cornbread mix (I like Trader Joe's brand)

Preheat oven to 325°F.  


Arrange bacon on baking tray in a single layer.  Put in oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until bacon is brown and crispy.  Once done remove and place strips on paper towel to remove excess fat.  Once cooled a little, rough chop or crumble.  Reserve.  
While bacon is cooking, heat olive oil in saute pan until shimmering and hot, add onions and saute until translucent and just start to turn golden.   Add corn, stir and remove from heat.
Make cornbread mix according to directions on box.  While mix is still in the mixing bowl add onions, corn, and bacon.  Cook bread as instructed. 

Roasted Rack of Pork with Caramelized Potatoes and Onions

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 4-pound Pork Rack, frenched or center-cut bone-in pork loin (rib) roast
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste


4 large russet potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 large Shallots, peeled, cut into quarters






Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk 1/4 cup oil, garlic, butter, sage and rosemary in small bowl to blend. Place pork in large roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Rub herb mixture over pork. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Cover pork loosely with foil and roast 2 hours.
Divide remaining 1/4 cup oil between 2 heavy large skillets. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Divide potatoes between skillets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until potatoes are golden but not tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer potatoes to roasting pan with pork, add shallots. Toss potatoes and shallots with pan juices. Continue roasting, uncovered, until pork browns, potatoes are tender and juices are slightly reduced, about 40 minutes.
Place pork in center of large platter. Surround with potato mixture. Pour pan juices into 2-cup glass measuring cup. Spoon fat off top of juices and discard. Pour juices over pork and potatoes.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Chicken and White Bean Chili

4 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 whole chicken, deboned, skinned, and cut into 1 1/2" chunks
(you can substitute chicken parts or boneless, skinless breasts)
2 med. Onions, chopped
1 Green Pepper, small dice
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
6 oz. Beer
1 C. Chicken Stock
1 small can diced Green Chilies
1 15oz can diced Tomatoes
3 cans White beans
1 Bay Leaf
all spices to taste - 2 Tbsp.Chili Powder, 2 Tbsp. Oregano, 1 Tbsp.Cumin, 1 tsp.Thyme, 1 tsp. Paprika
Salt and Pepper, to taste
optional - Jalapeno or Serano Pepper, diced (depending on how hot you like your Chili)

* 2-3 Tbsp. Corn Starch, alittle bit of water

Season all chicken meat with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tbsp. oil in large pot over medium high heat.  Once oil is hot, shimmering and just starting to smoke, add chicken and brown.  Once done reserve in a large mixing bowl.  Put pot back on heat, add 2 more tbsp. oil and get hot again.  Add onions, cook until translucent, add green peppers and canned chilies (hot peppers if using).  Cook until peppers are soft, add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.  Add tomato paste and canned tomatoes, using a wooden spoon rub bottom of pot to loosen all brown bits from the meat, lower heat and cook 5-6 minutes.  Increase heat and add beer, reduce liquid by half.  Add stock, beans, chicken, bay leaf and spices, bring just to the boil and then reduce heat, cover pot, and cook for 30-35 minutes.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Depending on taste, add addtional measures of spices. 

* If you want the chili to be thicker; put corn starch in small bowl and slowly add water while mixing until mixture resembles heavy cream.  At the very end of cooking time, stir corn starch mixture into chili and mix while over heat.  Chili will thicken, cook for 5 more minutes.  If chili gets too thick thin add some additional chicken stock.

Weekly Menu Jan. 29th - Feb. 4th

Saturday
Dinner out - Feeling like a Burger & Beer (Maybe, The Lodge in Sylvan Lake)
Sunday 
Roasted Pork Loin Rack with Rosemary
Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
Asparagus with julienned Red Pepper
Monday
Cornmeal Crusted Cod with Curried Lentils
Broccoli and Garlic
Tuesday
Chicken and White Bean Chili
Double Smoked Bacon and Onion Cornbread 
Chopped Salad with a Creamy Sweet Onion Dressing
Wednesday
Seared Salmon with a Red Pepper, Citrus-Ginger Glaze
Roasted Vegetable Quinoa
Steamed Green Beans
Thursday
Meatball and Broccoli Rabe Lasagna
Caesar Salad
Friday
"Smorgasbord Night" (don't forget the Martinis)

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Weekly Menu Jan. 22nd - Jan. 28th

Saturday
"Freezer-Night" (my version of left-overs.  I see Stuffed Pork Loin, Roast Beef, BBQ Chicken in there)
Sunday 
Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa, Broccoli slaw, & a Black bean Quesadilla
Monday
Bratwursts with Onions and Peppers
Chopped Salad
Tuesday
Chicken, Wild Mushroom, and Rice Casserole
Sauteed Green Beans 
Wednesday
Curried Lentils with Basmati Rice and Ginger
Thursday
Homemade Macaroni & Cheese
Baby Greens salad with a Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette
Friday
Mystery Night - it could be anything, Jeanne's in charge